Her
Majesty, The Queen Of Olympus
Written by: Caina Q. Fuller
Episode #13.
Teaser
Open on a wall of water thunderously crashing its way down a
narrow road. Eve and Virgil sit astride Braveheart, watching in shock as the
water rushes towards them, promising a cold, wet death. Finally Eve snaps out of her shock and urges
Braveheart on.
Eve
We have to get to higher ground! Go
Braveheart! Go!
Braveheart takes off with all he’s got, carrying both Eve and
Virgil on his back. They run with quite
a bit of distance between them and the water, but that won’t last for
long. The gap is closing with
frightening speed.
Ext. Olympus
Int. Throne Room
Aphrodite and Hercules stand before a portal that allows them to
see anyplace in any realm in existence.
Right now they are watching Eve and Virgil try to outrun the water from
a busted dam.
Hercules
They’ll never make it. We have to stop
that water.
Aphrodite
We’re already trying to control too many
storms wrecking Greece Herc. The best we
can hope to do is slow the water down to
give them time to get to higher ground.
Hercules
Fine. Let’s at least do that.
They turn to a glowing sphere in the center of the throne room. It
churns with every color in the rainbow.
Ares, Apollo, Demeter and Persephone stand over the sphere with their
hands glowing.
Aphrodite
Listen up. We have to slow that wall of
water long enough for Eve and Virgil to
make it up the side of the mountain to
safety.
Apollo
(irritable)
We’re already overtaxed as it is. Why
waste our powers for a world of mortals
who are nothing but pains in our asses
to begin with?
Hercules
Because your Queen has told you too.
That’s why.
Apollo
And if I don’t?
Hercules
I’ll strip you of your powers and plop you
in the path of that water behind Virgil and
Eve…without a horse.
That’s all the incentive Apollo needs.
Apollo
So you say you just want to slow the
water down?
Hercules shakes his head, his dislike for Apollo painfully
apparent.
Hercules
Right.
Apollo closes his eyes, ignoring the smirk on Persephone and
Demeter’s faces, and they go to work trying to slow the tsunami chasing Eve and
Virgil.
Ext. Path
Eve and Virgil continue on, and we notice the wall of water is
indeed slowing down. The gap begins to
widen between them and the flood once more.
Virgil
The water is slowing down!
Eve
We’re not safe yet. We
have to keep
going!
They continue on up the path till they reach the base of a
mountain. Braveheart can only go so far
before he can no longer continue up with Eve and Virgil on his back. They
dismount and try to lead him up, but it’s no use. He can’t climb high enough to
avoid the water.
Virgil
Eve! We’re not up high enough.
Eve
Braveheart will drown!
Virgil
I know Eve, but we’re going to have to let
him go.
He tries to pull her away but Eve refuses to go, so Virgil pulls
her roughly around to face him.
Virgil
He’s a loyal friend, but he’s a horse Eve.
Our lives are more valuable. Come on.
Eve
I’m taking the saddle off him first.
Virgil
We don’t have time for that!
Eve
Then help me because I’m not leaving
until it’s off!
Virgil sighs in frustration, struggling to help Eve get the saddle
off Braveheart so it doesn’t weigh him down and prevent him from possibly
surviving the flood, though it’s highly unlikely he will. Finally they free the horse from his saddle,
and Virgil pulls Eve up the mountain side.
As they near the ridge the water comes crashing against the
mountain. Virgil hugs Eve to him as the
water sweeps Braveheart away, sparing her the sight of her beloved horse’s
death.
Virgil
We’ve made it to high ground. We’re safe.
Eve
But Braveheart didn’t make it.
Virgil
He saved our lives Eve. He got us here in
time to get to higher ground. He died a
hero.
Virgil’s attention is pulled away by something he sees in the
distance. He turns Eve to look in the
same direction. When she looks, she is bewildered to find there is a village
below.
Virgil
It’s a village.
Eve
And they’re right in the path of the water.
Fade Out.
End of Teaser.
Fade In-Village
Ext. Public square
The entire village has turned out to the public square at the
request of the Magistrate and the Oracle.
Their faces convey shock and panic at what they have just heard.
Male Villager
What do we do Oracle? Tell us what to do.
The camera pulls around behind the Male Villager and we see from
his p.o.v. that the Oracle is none other than Hera, former queen of the
Olympian gods. She lifts her hands,
trying to calm the people.
Hera
The gods are trying to slow the flood,
which will buy you a little time. Place the
women and children on horses and mules
and get them out. Everyone must leave
the village as quickly as possible. Go.
Everyone stares at her in bewilderment, prompting the Magistrate,
Tildus, to step forward.
Tildus
What are you people waiting for?
You
heard the Oracle! Go, now!
That puts them into action and the villager’s scramble out of the
square, hopping onto horses and making a beeline for the gates away from the
approaching water. Soon only the
Magistrate and Hera are left.
Tildus
Oracle, you must come with me. I will
share my horse with you.
Hera offers him a small smile, but shakes her head in refusal.
Hera
I am afraid not my friend. You go. I must
remain here.
Tildus
But that would be suicide!
Hera
I sense something. It is
deep within my
soul. I will not die from this flood. I don’t
know how I know, but I do.
Tildus
Then I will remain here, by your side.
Hera takes his face in her hands, gently and lovingly.
Hera
I came here over twenty six years ago
with no memory of who I am, and I still
don’t know. There were many things about
myself no one could understand. Things
that frightened people. You stood by me.
You were my friend Tildus, and I appreciate
that.
Tildus
I have loved you since I first saw you
Oracle. I can’t leave you now.
Oracle
Have faith in me Tildus. I
will survive
because I do not see death in my future.
Go, and be safe. Please.
Even though he is a man of considerable advanced years she kisses
him, slowly and softly, then turns from him and begins walking in the direction
of the flood. Though it breaks his heart to do so, Tildus mounts his horse and
rides away, after the other villagers, trusting in her word that she is doing
the right thing.
As Hera walks toward the flood, Eve and Virgil come rushing
through the gates. When they see her, they’re surprised that anyone is left in
the village.
Eve
I’ve got bad news. There’s a flood heading
this way. We have to-
Hera
-I already know about it. The village has
been evacuated.
Virgil
We have to run. The-
Hera
-Gods are working to slow down the water,
but it’s only a matter of time before they
lose control over it.
Virgil
What are you? An Oracle or something?
Hera gives him a small smile.
Hera
Yes, I am as a matter of fact. Virgil.
Virgil frowns as she says his name. He knows he’s never met her before, but he pushes that
aside. They’re in danger and just when
they are about to urge her to make a run for it with them, the ground begins to
tremble.
Virgil
I think we’ve just run out of time.
Hera
You’re absolutely right about that
young
man.
Int. Throne room
Aphrodite and the other gods stare at the scene playing out before
them on the portal.
Hercules
Is that who I think it is?
Demeter
It can’t be. She’s been
dead for twenty-six
years.
Aphrodite
We never knew what happened to Hera,
Demeter. We only knew that she’d
disappeared.
Ares
You heard what she said to that mortal.
She doesn’t know who she is.
Persephone can see a scheme cooking up in Ares’ eyes and it
disgusts her.
Persephone
Ares. You’ve got that “I see a good
scheme” look in your eyes. Don’t even
think it.
Ares
Mind your own business Persephone.
Persephone
You’d be careful to watch your tongue
Ares. You don’t want to make an enemy of
me.
Ares
Oooh, I’m so scared. Somebody save me
from Bugs.
Persephone looks around in embarrassment at the old nickname,
hoping no one else heard him.
Persephone
I told you never to call me that again.
Ares
I just did, didn’t I?
Persephone
That was an unfortunate ailment that
all kids can get.
Ares
Persephone, when you’re ten years old
and you catch those nasty little things
from trying on your older sisters underwear-
that’s an unfortunate childhood ailment.
When you’re thirty seven, it’s a sexually
transmitted disease.
As Apollo laughs we see that Ares’ teasing has succeeded in
goading Persephone into an argument, but Demeter sees it coming and nicks it in
the bud
Demeter
Shut up. Both of you. We have more
important matters at hand.
Aphrodite
We have an important decision to make.
We can’t control the mud slide in Delphi
and this flood at the same time. We’re
going to have to let Hera deal with this.
Hercules
But she doesn’t remember who she is. She
doesn’t know what she is capable of.
Aphrodite
Not consciously, no. But in her heart she
knows she’s different. It will come back
to her when it matters.
Hercules
isn’t convinced, and it shows on his face and in his voice.
Hercules
Aphrodite…
Aphrodite
I was the goddess of Love. I know what
I’m talking about. trust me.
Hercules
And if you’re wrong Eve and Virgil are
dead.
Apollo
It’s either Eve and Virgil or the thousands
of people in Delphi. You
know how sacred
Delphi is to me Hercules. I won’t allow her
to be buried under a mountain of mud.
Though Hercules hates to agree with Apollo, he finally nods. They cannot allow thousands to die in order
to save three people. He turns his
attention to the sphere they are using to control the weather.
Hercules
Delphi it is then. I just hope Hera
remembers what she’s capable of
and stops that flood.
Ext. Village
We see the slowly flowing wall of water suddenly break loose from
the hold of the gods and come crashing toward the village with its full force.
Ext. Street
Hera, Virgil and Eve stand in wide eyed amazement as the water
comes rushing toward them full force, shaking the ground so hard they can
barely stand up.
Virgil
This is it Eve. We’re going to die here
today. I have to tell you
something.
Eve
What?
Virgil
I was just starting to like you.
Eve
Gee, thanks.
Virgil
No. I mean…Never mind. Forget I said
anything.
Eve looks deeply into his eyes as spray from the water begins to
soak the three.
Eve
I like you too Virgil. You’ve been a good
friend to me, even though I didn’t deserve
it.
Virgil
I guess we’ll be seeing our parents again
sooner than we thought.
Without a word, Hera thrusts her hand forward, palm facing the
water. There is a bright glow in the center of her palm, and slowly the water
comes to a complete stop, and then begins to reverse its course.
Eve and Virgil stare in wide-eyed surprise as the water recedes,
heading back the way it came. There is a path of destruction left in its wake,
but the water is heading back toward the dam.
When it is gone, Hera lowers her hand and looks into the stunned
faces of Eve and Virgil.
Virgil
You’re a god.
Oracle
I’m something, that’s for sure.
Ext. Road
Tildus stops on the road leading away from the village. He looks back, expecting to see the water
destroy his home, but instead she sits quietly under the steel gray sky. The other villagers stop as well.
Tildus
The water is gone. The gods have spared
our village!
The male villager from earlier in the first act speaks up from his
horse.
Male Villager
Do you think its safe to go back?
Tildus
Yes. Tell everyone to turn around. All is
safe now.
Tildus and the other villagers turn and begin to head back to
their homes, cheering in happiness and relief. They’d fully expected the flood
to take our their homes and leave their lives in ruins, but they’d been
spared.
Ext. Village
A bright, pink light begins to form before them until it coalesces
into Aphrodite. When she has finished
forming, she draws her sword and drives it into the ground before Hera, then
bows to her.
Aphrodite
My Queen.
Close up on Hera.
Fade Out.
End of Act One.
Act Two
Int. Hera’s home
Hera paces back and forth, unable to believe what Aphrodite has
just told her about her past. Outside
her window the villagers move back and forth, going about their day as usual.
Hera
I’ve always known I was different from
everyone else in the village, but the Queen
of the gods? Come on.
Aphrodite
How else would you explain your ability to
stop the flood so easily?
Hera
I have no memories whatsoever of what
you’re telling me. If I’m
truly a god, I
should be able to remember something.
Eve
Because you are a god, your inability to
remember your past can’t be physical. It
has to be a mental block of some kind.
Aphrodite
Even with the combined strength of every
remaining god on Olympus, we can’t stop
every flood and earthquake that is tearing
Greece apart. Eve, are you
familiar with
any stories of the gods?
Eve
No, not really.
Virgil
I am.
Aphrodite
Good. Try to jog her memory by telling
her some stories about her past. Especially
about how she was willing to risk her life
to save Eve.
Aphrodite moves to leave, but Hera calls out to her.
Hera
I have just one more question before you
go.
Aphrodite
Sure.
Hera
Let’s say I do get my memory back. What
good will it do us?
Aphrodite
Buried deep within your mind is knowledge
about the world and how it works that will
take me centuries to learn. You may be the
key to saving Greece. Call me if you need
me, or if you remember anything at all. I’ll
come running.
Ev